3 Ways to Reduce Cancer Risk
What you don't know about exercise and what you need to know
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Today At A Glance:
Today we’re exploring the relationship between the Warburg effect and cancer development, and how measuring blood lactate levels and improving your zone-2 threshold through exercise can help improve mitochondrial function. Plus, I’ll share some surprising tips for optimizing your sleep habits to further support healthy mitochondrial function. Don't miss out on this essential information for cancer prevention!
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Neuro Athletes,
Good evening. If you’re reading this, I hope you’re feeling relaxed, excited, and ready for this upcoming week — it’s going to be a huge one. I’m guessing you feel the same as me right now if you’re in NYC — what’s up with the bipolar weather?
Now that you’re situated and you’re onto the second paragraph of this newsletter I’m assuming you want to know what is happening tonight. In a moment, I’m going to chat to you all about cancer prevention and zone 2 exercise.
But, before we get into this today’s newsletter, did you get a chance to listen to this past week’s episode of The Neuro Experience? It was all about cancer with cancer biologist Dr Joe Zundell. I got the whole story and I’m sure you will love learning about what cancer is, how it forms and what the relationship between diet, exercise and sleep is. Listen to it here!
I’m bringing this topic up because I know that everybody reading this has been affected by this awful disease in one way or another. For me, I lost my grandmother and aunt to this disease and I have so many unanswered questions.
What we know about cancer
Cancer cells alter their metabolism to promote growth and survival, which includes increased glucose uptake and fermentation of glucose to lactate, even with functioning mitochondria. This is known as the Warburg Effect, and it has been studied extensively over the past decade. One proposed explanation for the Warburg Effect is dysregulated lactate production, which is a signaling molecule that stimulates the expression of major oncogene transcription factors in breast cancer cell cycle genes.
Mitochondria are organelles in our cells responsible for producing energy. In the context of cancer, understanding mitochondrial function is critical to understanding cancer development and progression.
The best part?
You can actually assess your mitochondrial function by measuring blood lactate levels and the zone-2 threshold. Elite athletes have a high zone-2 threshold, indicating that they can train to improve their lactate clearance capacity and improve their mitochondrial function. Conversely, individuals with metabolic syndrome, such as type 2 diabetes, have poor metabolic flexibility and a reduced capacity to oxidize fuels, indicating mitochondrial dysfunction and contributing to the development of cardiometabolic disease.
What Cancer Survivors Did for Exercise
Physical activity is crucial for cancer survivors, but many struggle to maintain a regular exercise routine due to factors such as fatigue and physical limitations. To better understand the exercise habits of cancer survivors, researchers conducted a study involving 57 cancer survivors who completed a 12-week exercise program.
The exercise program consisted of both resistance and aerobic training, with participants exercising three times a week. The researchers found that the majority of participants were able to complete the program, with an adherence rate of 78.9%. The participants also reported improvements in physical function and quality of life, as well as a reduction in fatigue.
These findings suggest that exercise can be a beneficial tool for cancer survivors in improving their overall health and well-being.
Tips for Improving Mitochondrial Function and Reducing Cancer Risk
Incorporate Zone-2 Training: Zone-2 training can improve mitochondrial function and reduce the risk of cancer and other diseases associated with metabolic dysfunction. Start by determining your zone-2 threshold through blood lactate level testing, and then incorporate zone-2 cardio workouts into your routine. Gradually increase the duration and intensity of these workouts to improve your lactate clearance capacity and mitochondrial function.
Prioritize Cardiovascular Exercise: Cardiovascular exercise is crucial for improving mitochondrial function and reducing the risk of cancer. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio exercise per week, incorporating both zone-2 training and other types of cardio workouts, such as cycling, running, or swimming.
Get enough quality sleep. Adequate sleep is crucial for optimal mitochondrial function, as the majority of cellular regeneration and repair happens during sleep. Aim for 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night to support your body's cellular health and reduce the risk of cancer development.
The Warburg Effect and assessing mitochondrial function through blood lactate levels and zone-2 training, you can take steps to improve your mitochondrial function and reduce your risk of cancer.
Stay healthy,
Louisa x